Thursday, October 7, 2010

Einstein-type DVDs like "crack for babies"

Face it, no matter how much we digitize our communication world, one thing is for certain, our mostly ancient human brains were made for human-to-human contact as the go-to form of learning.  Our brain's learning systems are LIT UP by other humans - and there is likely more than meets the eye when this happens.  Sub-conscious attention to 3-dimensional body language, pheromones, and subtle facial expression go a long way to contribute to the waking up of neurons in developing brains. Learning is not just "words & pictures."  -jd

DVDs poor at teaching toddlers
Science News, 09-25-2010

A study performed by psychologist Judy DeLoache of the University of Virgina demonstrated that parents verbal interaction with their young children far out-performed "baby education DVDs."  Her study "indicated the importance of having a social partner in learning," Michael Robb of St. Vincent College in PA.  Kids under age three don't grasp the relation between what they see on a screen and the physical world (SN: 4/10/10, p.9).

Babies can watch these videos with such intensity, DeLoache describes them "like crack for babies," and notes, "parents may think that attention equals learning, when it clearly does not."

Click here for full article

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